"What's in it?" children would shout upon seeing a black and white checkered Thalhimers Sweet Shop box. Whether it opened to reveal a six-layer chocolate cake, creamy-centered eclairs, sticky honey buns, or buttery rainbow cookies, the treats tasted more delightful than imagined.

More delightful than imagined: A fit description for Finding Thalhimers. For twelve years, Elizabeth Smartt has been on a quest to discover and share the eventful journey the Thalhimer family has taken for seven generations. On a treasure hunt to find the true story of her paternal family and their store, Mrs. Smartt's search enriches her own life in ways she never imagined.

This book is for anyone who worked or shopped at Thalhimers, anyone intrigued by a German Jewish immigrant planting the seed for a store that grew for 150 years, anyone interested in the inner workings of a retail family, anyone with a penchant for finding their roots, and anyone who enjoys a captivating, skillfully woven, and unpredictable narrative - particularly a true one.

-Wayne Dementi, Publisher

Written by Elizabeth Thalhimer Smartt.